A Low-Speed Magnetic Memory Device

Computer and switching control systems in use today typically require some type of memory for system operation. The memory, or data store for the system, serves to hold data in storage until it is needed by a cycle of system operation. Relays, flip-flops, punched cards, magnetic tapes, discs, and drums, ferrite cores, and matrices represent some of the devices available for this purpose. This paper describes a new magnetic drum memory that has been developed as a low-cost storage device which does not require ancillary amplification for either input or output functions for switching and control systems. This memory device has some features that are characteristic of a digital computer memory, but it does not have the latter's high cost. The new memory device can be used either as a general-purpose bit store, or as the main storage device in switching/control systems.